Throughout New Zealand’s Antarctic presence, aircraft have provided transport both to and across the icy continent. Land and sea-based alternatives are highly time consuming or unsafe. Much of Antarctica’s surface is covered by crevassed ice and coastal areas by seasonal sea ice.
The basic principles of Antarctic aircraft operations haven’t changed much in their 60-year history. First is the connection between New Zealand and Antarctica and second is the support of operations within Antarctica.
Transport from New Zealand is provided by the RNZAF (New Zealand Air Force) using the Lockheed C130 Hercules and more recently the Boeing 757. USA aircraft also provide assistance in this connection with both the USA and NZ aircraft flying out of Christchurch.
Science teams based in Antarctica rely on the collective capability of the aircraft type and their crews to reach areas not easily accessible by other modes of transport. Whilst technological advances assist in navigation, aircraft reliability and weather forecasting, Antarctica remains a demanding and unpredictable environment in which to operate. Without aircraft for transport, the important scientific research localities of Antarctica would be practically inaccessible.
Originally our plan was for Anne to tidy up these few issue so Allan and I could work on other projects. Then Anne was given the Chinese New Year posts to do so, since I was between projects, I decided to do this small collection of special issues myself.
In 1903 and 1939 New Zealand issued a special stamp for a express delivery service. Between 1931 and 1935 a series of stamps were issues for air mail services. These issues standout from other New Zealand stamps in that they were only used for a single purpose.
Normally these two groups would be considered as different sets, in the Campbell Patterson Catalogue they are even assigned separate sections, but since they are both stamps produced for special, faster services, we will be featuring them here as one post.
Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), a flying boat company operating trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia. TEAL became wholly owned by the New Zealand government in 1965, whereupon it was renamed Air New Zealand. The airline mainly served international routes until 1978, when the government merged it and the domestic-orientated New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) into a single airline under the Air New Zealand name.
Air New Zealand was largely privatised in 1989, but returned to majority government ownership in 2001 after a failed tie up with Australian carrier Ansett Australia (when Ansett suffered financial issues and folded operations during that year).
In November 2013, The Fifth National Government reduced its share in Air New Zealand from 73% to 53% as part of its controversial asset sales programme. It made $365 million from this deal.
Air New Zealand currently operates an international long-haul fleet consisting of mainly the Boeing 777 variant family, with Boeing 767-300 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft supplementing them. Airbus A320 aircraft operate on short-haul international routes (i.e. to Australia and the Pacific Islands), and on domestic routes alongside Boeing 737-300 airliners.
Air New Zealand's regional subsidiaries, Air Nelson, Eagle Airways, and Mount Cook Airline, operate additional short-haul New Zealand domestic services using turboprop aircraft.
This issue titled "The Achievers" was the fifth in the 'Heritage ' series of stamps leading up to the 1990 150th anniversary celebrations in New Zealand. The Achievers is a very special stamp issue which salutes some of the people from our past whose achievements have gone largely unheralded by the rest of the world - yet too many New Zealanders, they are legendary for their dedication and courage. Three woman and three men all who in their own way made a difference to the culture and heritage of New Zealand.
For this post, we will feature four stamp issues with military themes. The first of these is a three value set, issued in 1968, 25 years after World War II. It featured three values, one for each of the three New Zealand Armed Forces. Then we have three sets issued during the 1980s, each with four values, each depicting one of the three armed forces.
All of these sets are shown in my Military ANZAC collection (See the bar above) but on this post, I want to look at them in more detail along with adding a few other items of interest too.
I personally think all the stamps shown on this page have interesting and well laid out designs. The theme is a popular one and so these sets would look good in a collection of New Zealand stamps.
During the mid 1970s New Zealand issued a yearly set of stamp featuring vintage transport. I think it might be better if we view these sets in one group rather than individual issues. I have combined these issues to make and interesting series of 30 stamps depicting the development of early transport in New Zealand. Maybe one day I might return to view each issue in greater detail.
In 2012 the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) celebrated 75 years since it was formed in 1937. NZ Post used its annual military issue to mark this important milestone with a set of 15 stamps. They were issued as a miniature sheet with each stamp have a postal value of 60c, giving the whole sheet a face value of $9.00.
Below the sheet, I give further details about the subjects depicted on each stamp.
I have been interested in the two sets of stamps issued at the end of the first and second World Wars. The first one in 1920 is called the Victory Issue while the second one in 1946 is known as the Peace Issue. Why the difference? This post is going to compare these two issues and try to find why they are so different considering they both mark the end a major war.
1920 Victory
For more see military /ANZAC - Part One.
First, the Victory Issue which marked the end of World War I, a war which was said to have been the war to end all wars. No one would have believed that 20 years later an even bigger war would be raging.
Green - ½d Red - 1d
Both of these stamps carry a similar theme of the British Lion representing the British Empire, with the allegorical figure of Peace.
Throughout New Zealand’s Antarctic presence, aircraft have provided transport both to and across the icy continent. Land and sea-based alternatives are highly time consuming or unsafe. Much of Antarctica’s surface is covered by crevassed ice and coastal areas by seasonal sea ice.
